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Thursday, December 30, 2010

I wish I could draw or paint. But I never could. Something happened when I was 15. I got an accident which changed my point of view of almost everything. That moment of sadness, I got a miracle where with only one arm, and another arm in cased, I could paint for my school's homework.

I remember how suddenly I felt so excited to paint, despite my condition that time. I couldn't open the colour paint bottles myself, as it needed two hands to open. I have no easel to hold up the canvas, so I used my both legs to clip the canvas standing before me. I got no static palette, so each time I stroked my brush to the colour on the palette, it ran away. Hahahaha.... it was sad. But my excitement and will couldn't get into my way, my calling.

Here it is....

It's not good, not a masterpiece, but at least, I did my best (and conquering my lack) to finish this simple painting.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Last semester, I went to an editorial office of Automotive magazine which was patronized by the biggest media chain in Indonesia. Well, I learned a lot. Not only that I had the chance closer to the real world of external media, I found new networks.

But during certain length of time of discussion, something got me into the core. It's about writing. When I was a child, I have a strange hobby: sending letters to my classmates who I met everyday. I don't know, it's like there was something special in sending letters that time. But anyway, my mom and siblings knew that activity, and praised my friends who sent a long letter to me. They said, the longer the better.

It put in my mind that if you can write so long, it will be considered as a good one. So, I always try to.

I didn't enjoy writing when I was in school. Never did. But I started writing when I was 15, and would like to write for school's task when I got the mood in the right ambience. Later, I know that this is not good if you wanna have writing as your profession. Especially, when you meet the deadlines.

But as for the length of your writing piece, the big news is that readers' reading intensity is decreasing. Why detik.com (Indonesian online news channel) is becoming so popular, as many people rely on their news? It's because they provide the short news. For one small incident, they can post 3 news about it, on various angles. Mostly, their news are not longer than 500-800 words (less than A4 paper page). People enjoy look into a short article and read it, then find another short article to read again. They think it's better than reading one article of full-written news.

But despite the fact they're almost everywhere and fast, mistakes are nothing questionable. Speed doesn't mean accurate. There's the positive, then there's the negative.

Here's one question: Write one article with full information or three articles on the same subject but different angles?

What do you think of reading this post? It's a long one...

But a few months later, I went to a book fair where there were so many books discounted. I went to my favourite bookstore's booth there and met a guy who was in charge. At first, he was talking to a woman who visited the booth looking for a book, then they were drown in a small discussion. This guy seemed to know much about literary and the values of writing pieces. As I looked for a book, I asked him too when he finished the conversation with the previous lady. He couldn't find it, I said ok. Funny, after visiting the booth, I went to a mall where there's the same bookstore, and the guy was there too. He still recognized me.

"I'm hopping around, " he said, when I asked why he was there too. It was only one hour away from when we first met in the booth. Until now, I didn't know his job title at the bookstore, he didn't answer me directly. He tried to help me find the book I looked for, who knew the book might be available on the store. They only stocked certain titles at the booth for the book fair. But, the stock for the book was also empty.

He then offered me another titles, like Eat.Pray.Love by Elisabeth Gilberts. "It's going to be in a movie," he told me. I refused as I had one at home. "I like it so much, can't wait for the movie though," I added. He offered me another title by Mrs. Gilberts that I wasn't that interested. It was "Committed". He told me to come to another branch store, in Serpong. It's the biggest store, 40k titles are there. "Book heaven!" he joked.

He asked about my job. I said I was a student in the morning, and a teacher in the afternoon. But he was interested more in my college textbook and where I bought it. Good marketer! Keep on track! I said my school has managed it and all I needed to do is to pay. He explained to me that one of universities in Serpong usually bought their textbook in his store he worked. I jumped into a point, "But those books here are very expensive!" I laughed. But he said, "That the price for a value of knowledge." I thought, guess, he was right.

Once I read a reviewer's review on a writer's new book. It was a too-short story to be a novel. Yet, the reviewer praised the book for being too short. She also said that the author has passed a trial that many authors cannot pass on their first books. I was like, being short or long, is it a trial?

We, writers, write books for certain purpose to share, no matter how long it could be, no matter how many titles we could produce. We went through so many researches that sacrificed our time, energy, mind, and money. All of our hopes were given to the piece. Through contacting hundreds of publisher and agents, and the editing process, the tense. The refusals. Fighting desperation. And what we got? 10% for royalty. Should we still consider the decreasing of readers' reading intensity?

Leave out the difference, this is book and that is article. It's obvious that people can't endure the length of writing pieces. Many people around me somewhat are complaining that I buy and read many thick books. Many and thick! It's me who spend my energy and time to buy and money to pay. It's me who is going to read it, and not them. Why are they complaining about my lifestyle? See....

Back to the guy I met at the bookstore. I agreed. Small conversation can open my mind. I agree to follow the readers' demand to provide short news. Why? I understand their lifestyle, too, which doesn't have so many times to get information on what's going on. Make it short, make it quick. Efficiency to stay update in little time. For book, people read it for their curiosity to kill in their leisure time, why should we bother?

Quantity or length, as long as you enjoy... as much as it's worthed for everything.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

This xmas is felt kinda different as so many things has happened differently in this 2010, and it's going to end soon.

Going to the end of the year, I feel more staying at home and going out with some friends for wining or brunch. Just a perfect way to catch some quality moments to talk and get some updates about each other. Things have gone pretty crazy in a way, hectic and tiring. Yet, it's almost all fun.

I remember in my old personal blog, I made a resolution for me to accomplish in 2010. I have also made a mid-year review on the progress that, at that time, none has been done. Now, nothing has changed either. Empty progress.

All I have planned, maybe, haven't been arrived yet or they're just still hanging around somewhere, so that life takes me somewhere else. Of course, for another adventure, another gain. C'est la vie... Mysteriously goes by.

Even so, I think to make some points to achieve (or to buy and to have) next year. Just a plan to make my action stay right on track. LOL. As life goes unpredictable, so do I.

But, firstly, I wanna share what I really want: I want to finish my book and publish it with a well-known publisher in US or Europe. =)

Secondly, I have been thinking to have my "Eat, Pray, Love" moments. I haven't had the fixed plan of which country will I visit, but I already got some possible choices with consideration for each country.

Thirdly, I need to get a smaller laptop for mobile and a pocket camera.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

My friends, Eric and Pamela, are going to be in 2010 Singapore's Toy, Games, and Comic Convention! The place is SUNTEC Singapore Halls 401 - 402. They will be there until Dec 12th, 8pm.

Eric has been in various exhibitions and international art events. Lately, Pamela and Eric has their own exhibitions in Level One, Grand Indonesia. You can see the pics I took during their exhibiton there at my old personal blog.

Friday, December 10, 2010

It's been years since Senior High, with lack of equipments, I'm back for scrapbooking with more and better equipments! Yeay!So it's fun to know that there's a thing called "Rubber-stamp", various paper punches, etc. I had fun hunting them and playing with them, creating some things. I always like creating many things, especially when it's related to art.

So this is my first card, with scrapbook style. Actually the second, but the first one is sent to my friend, Kat. As the card is on the way, I can't show it now here.

Then... it's time to share my first card!

Yay!

Closer, for the detail!

The story behind the doll. At first, as usual, I don't have any strong concept. Not very often, I started a work with concept. Hehehe... =P But, I actually wanted to make a flower, with separated different parts in circle from various materials, but it ended up like a head of a girl with freaky hair. So, I decided to make the dress, arms, legs and shoes.

Although the butterfly is too big, I've tried with less big butterfly but it doesn't seem to fit. So, big one it is.

=)Tell me what do you think of it?

Bree...xoxo

P.S.: I will try to post some of my high school scrapbooks, although it's not card-making =). Maybe something funny to share...

Thursday, December 2, 2010

So sleepy and tired... A moment ago, there was 'yesterday' and it was unbelievable!

I got to wake up early to Brenda's house and depart to a mosque in Kemayoran (around the area I wrote on a blogpost: A Night in Biased Town) to gather with other friends. We were going to continue our documentary project.

So in the morning, that noisy and crowded Kemayoran area was dead! I mean empty. Almost no any single vehicle running there. Clear! You can sleep in the middle of the road, just like in the "The Notebook" movie. But when there's daylight, the more biased city gets. No people who cheer up the side of the town, like I used to see the first time in the dark.

Well... things went well for the film shoots. We met Brenda (not my classmate), a nice and friendly shemale. Not only she was willing to help us, she was sooo welcome to me and my friends. FYI, to be a girl, she's very kewl and beautiful!

Anyway, hours we spent there, then we had to head back to our campus as there's a class at 3. So we left the location around noon by taxi. We all got headache. But no bad traffic at that time, but cars were lining up a bit. It was lunch time. I can say it was still normal. Then, something wrong with the taxi and put us in a situation where we were a bit tempted to get some food for lunch at 711 near Grand Indonesia. Before, me and Brenda decided to get some meatballs and noodles in our campus complex. Regina also agreed. But things got twisted. So, here we go... 711. It was my first 711 experience. So as Regina. I was so damn excited with Slurpee thing and all. I bought small cup of Slurpee (small one for the first time, just in case I didn't like it or something) and Beef Yakiniku, which was quite not bad, but too many onions.

After we finished class at 4.30, it rained. So, me and Brenda got to spend some more time to get a transport that could take us to a stop where we usually get the next transport to continue the route. But for the first transport, it was goddamn difficult. Then, after we got it, we got to find the next transport, which was none of them operating. It was raining quite bad, the wind was strong enough to make you catch some cold. We stood under the rain, waiting for miracle. But nothing happened.

I advised to take taxi, but the traffic was very bad. We knew we would get stuck. So we decided to go the our former campus A at Dharmala Sakti. I wanna get some food and sweet hot tea as my headache was getting worse, meanwhile waiting for the rain to stop and hoping that the traffic would be less crowded. Yet, 30 minutes gone by. What's the next? We got stuck in the worst traffic ever. We couldn't get the usual transport, TransJakarta were full, and no taxi. If there was one taxi, it might have been ordered, so we got rejected.

So what we did? We went around from Dharmala to Le Meridien-CityWalk-Intercontinental Mid Plaza-Grand Sahid. There were countless of walk we did, like walking back-and-forth to catch a cab. Then, after a long wait in desperation, what we did next? BACK TO LE MERIDIEN!!!

I was completely hopeless. Then, we decided to get a TransJakarta bus from Karet shelter. After passing two shelters in a crowded bus like a tuna in a can, we reached Dukuh Atas shelter. What shocked us? This....

That was still the first cut, there was another in the next 2 cuts. Argh! Soooo.. again, we decided to leave. The next? We got stuck in another traffic jam in Dukuh atas, near BNI 46 building. I was more completely hopeless. I thought, ohh... just walk home.

Yeah... we walked, but still hoping that there would be a taxi to get us home. Or, if it's not taxi, anything... anything!!!!

After moments walking from Dukuh Atas, we almost got Manggarai. You can measure how far we'd been walking since the first time. Almost getting our way to Manggarai, Brenda noticed a bajaj and she said why we didn't get in. She wanted it, so why not.

It's like I was almost singing "We did it, we did it!" just like Dora the Explorer. Still in bajaj, we still had to face with traffic. Along the way, my sis in law asked me through bbm, asking where I was and all. She said she was stuck in Kuningan and HI was closed!

There's a midnight sale!!!! OMG... why didn't we just walk to Grand Indonesia and shop? It's much better than keep walking and getting stressed out.

At home, I knew I was going to be sick. Yeah.... so was I. My mom made me a cup of hot red ginger, which was good! Raining and that breezy night you had fought, drink it! Not to forget... massage for your tired legs!

Jakarta, oh Jakarta!

29 November 2010

It's Monday! And I hate it! But I got to kill it!

This morning, I woke up like usual. And what? Still, you got up early and left early... and the traffic also came early! *sigh*

I usually reached my campus at 7.45 or 8 a.m. at least, but... There's always 'but' in this case, in this sentence. At 7.45 I was still half way. And, (sorry) I couldn't lie that I really wanna pee!!!!! I just couldn't hold it!

I was still in my bro's car and everyday he drops me at Sarinah, next I got to catch a bus to campus, go across on a bridge, then another public transport, and then another bridge! I didn't think I could make it. Feeling another hopelessness, I said to my bro, I wanna go to his office first to pee and got a taxi there. It would spare some time for me and energy.

Do you think it's ridiculous?

All I could do to distract my concentration was screaming in twitter! Err... if there wasn't any traffic, this silly thing would not happen. *ugh*